5 reasons the Baltimore Ravens need to sign Colin Kaepernick

3. The Ravens need a replacement for Ryan Mallet

Ryan Mallet is not an acceptable backup quarterback option. Well, not for a team vying for a Super Bowl anyway. Mallet, 29, has a career touchdown to interception ratio of 7-10. The former third round pick in 2011 from Arkansas just hasn’t panned out the way some people thought.

One of those people was Bill Belichick who drafted him. Mallet’s pure talent may not be the reason why he didn’t make it. Mallet has been released by the Patriots and Texans for simply being a knucklehead. Mallet recently had a melt down at practice which makes the Kaepernick signing a more likely scenario.

The following from Ravens beat writer Jamison Hensley of ESPN:

“[Mallett] looked awful [filling] in for Joe Flacco (back) with the first team on Friday. He was intercepted at least five times and was nearly picked off two more times. On his last interception, Mallett threw his white towel in the air. His struggles were noticed by linebacker Terrell Suggs. “Hey Marty [Mornhinweg, offensive coordinator], tell Mallett to throw to the guys wearing the purple jerseys [the offense],” Suggs said.

When a vocal leader like Terrell Suggs doesn’t believe in the quarterback, there’s a problem. The only other quarterbacks on the roster are Dustin Vaughn from West Texas A&M and former Arena League quarterback David Olson. Kaepernick represents a clear upgrade over this unit.